Abrading and polishing wheels

ABSTRACT

A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, comprising a web adapted to be connected to a motor shaft, the web having an annular rim with a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof. A sleeve is rotatably supported between the inclined walls of the rim slot and pressed thereagainst in wedged relation. The sleeve is formed with a longitudinal split and an actuator rod is slidably disposed within the sleeve and has a longitudinal slot. A flexible strip of material, such as sand paper or emery cloth, is disposed about the rim periphery and the two ends of the strip are inserted through the tapered slot and into the aligned sleeve split and actuator rod slot. The actuator rod is manually rotated and this action pinches the two strip ends between margins of the sleeve split and the rod slot so that the sleeve is in turn rotated to wind the two strip ends thereabout. Winding action of the sleeve tensions the flexible strip about the rim periphery and also brings the wound strip ends into wedged frictional engagement with at least one of the two walls of the radial slot, to hold the flexible strip in tensioned relation. The actuator rod is then withdrawn from the sleeve.

United States Patent 1 1 Eells 1 ABRADING AND POLISHING WHEELS [76]Inventor: Paul K. Eells, 7905 State Rt. 45,

Lisbon, Ohio 44432 [22] Filed: Nov. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 308,762

Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-MichaelWilliams [57] ABSTRACT A wheel for abrading and polishing operations,com- 1 1 June 25, 1974 prising a web adapted to be connected to a motorshaft, the web having an annular rim with a radial slot tapering from asmaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger openinginteriorly thereof. A sleeve is rotatably supported between the inclinedwalls of the rim slot and pressed thereagainst in wedged relation. Thesleeve is formed with a longitudinal split and an actuator rod isslidably disposed within the sleeve and has a longitudinal slot. Aflexible strip of material. such as sand paper or emery cloth, isdisposed about the rim periphery and the two ends of the strip areinserted through the tapered slot and into the aligned sleeve split andactuator rod slot. The actuator rod is manually rotated and this actionpinches the two strip ends between margins of the sleeve split and therod slot so that the sleeve is in turn rotated to wind the two stripends thereabout. Winding action of the sleeve tensions the flexiblestrip about the rim periphery and also brings the wound strip ends intowedged frictional engagement with at least one of the two walls of theradial slot, to hold the flexible strip in tensioned relation. Theactuator rod is then withdrawn from the sleeve.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED E 5 I974 SHEET 2 0F 2 ABRADING ANDPOLISHING WHEEIS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY In the prior art known to me,winding sleeves have been used to tension abrading or polishing stripsabout the periphery of a rotatable wheel. Such sleeves have been formedwith longitudinal slots into which the ends of the strips were inserted,so that susequent winding of the sleeve drew the strip tightly about theperiphery of the wheel. In prior art constructions, however,difficulties were encountered in maintaining the strip tightly about thewheel during use, and complicated mechanisms have been proposed to solvethese problems.

My invention also utilizes a winding sleeve, but the disposition of suchsleeve with respect to the rotatable wheel has been simplified while atthe same time such relative disposition insures a tight grip on the endsof the abrading or polishing strip at all times.

The winding sleeve, in accordance with my invention, is particularlyuseful with a wheel having a web and a rim. The rim has a radial slottapering from a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a largeropening interiorly thereof. The sleeve has a longitudinal split and isdisposed within the rim slot, and the ends of the abrading or polishingstrip are inserted through the tapered slot and the sleeve split. Thesleeve is urged into wedging relation with the walls defining thetapered slot so that the strip ends, when wound on the sleeve, will bewedged against at least one slot wall. The arrangement is such thatcentrifugal force resulting from rapid rotation of the wheelcomplements, rather than opposes the urging action againstthe sleeve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings accompanying thisspecification and forming a part of this application, there is shown,for purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention mayassume, and in these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an abrading or polishing wheel, showinga preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, corresponding to the line 2-2 ofFIG. 4,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, but showingparts in another relation,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, corresponding to the line 4-4 ofFIG. 2, and showing the abrading or polishing strip in phantom lines,and

FIG. 5 is a separated perspective view of parts of the assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The wheel W herein disclosed hasan annular rim which may include, if desired, an outer rubber ring 11cemented thereto in order to provide a resilient backing for abrading orpolishing operations. The wheel has a web 12 provided with a centralopening 14 to fit the rotatable shaft of a motor (not shown). The web 12is about one half the width of the rim 10, as best seen in FIG. 4, toprovide a flat interior face 15.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rim 10 has a radial slot S taperingfrom a smaller opening at the periphery of the rim to a larger openinginteriorly thereof. As seen in FIG. 4, the larger opening of the radialslot leads into the space 16 which is free of the web 12, and the webitself has a relief opening 17 communicating with the larger slotopening. If used, the rubber ring 11 has an opening of a sizesubstantially equal to the smaller opening of the radial slot.

Disposed crosswise of the rim 10 and fitting within the larger openingof the radial slot is a metallic sleeve 18 which has a longitudinalsplit 19, as best seen in FIG. 5. The sleeve, intermediate its ends, isformed with a transverse groove 20 in its periphery for a purpose toappear. It will be noted that the diameter of the sleeve 18 is largerthan the smaller opening of the radial slot and, as a matter of fact, islarge enough so that a peripheral portion thereof is disposed adjacentto the innermost end of the larger slot opening.

The sleeve is resiliently urged to 'wedged relation with the walls 21,22 defining the radial slot and this may be achieved in any suitablemanner. In the embodiment disclosed, an arcuately shaped spring wire 23lies along the flat face 15 of the web and has one end disposed in anannular groove 23 formed in the inner periphery of the rim, and isanchored in place by means of a pin 25. The free end of the spring wirefits within the transverse groove 20 in the sleeve 18 to restrain thelatter against axial movement and to resiliently urge the sleeve towedged relation with the slot walls 21,22, as seen in FIG. 2. v

A rotator member 26 (see especially FIG. 5) has a rod portion 27 of anoutside diameter to snugly but slidably fit within the sleeve. This rodportion isabout the same length as the sleeve and has a longitudinalslot 28. Any suitable means may be provided to rotate the member 26,such as the integrally connected, angularly extending handle 29. A stoppin 30 may be secured to the rod portion at the innermost end of theslot 28 to engage the end of the sleeve and thus limit insertion of therod portion to a correct amount.

The abrading or polishing means is in the form of a flexible strip 31,such as sand paper, emery cloth, or the like. The strip is preferably ofa width about equal to the width of the rim l0, and of a length so thatboth end portions thereof may be disposed through the radial slot S,through the split 19 of the sleeve 18, and into the longitudinal slot 28of the rod portion 27, it being assumed that at this time, the split 19and slot 28 are aligned as seen in FIG. 2. The length of the strip 31 isso chosen that with the end portions disposed as described, a certainamount of strip slack is provided about the periphery of the rim.

The rotator member 26 is then turned and a slight amount of relativerotation between the rod portion 27 and sleeve 18 will pinch the ends ofthe flexible strip between the margins of the rod portion slot 28 andthe sleeve split 19 and thus cause rotation of the sleeve 18. As seen inFIG. 3, rotation of the sleeve will cause the ends of the flexible stripto be wound thereabout and the free end of the spring wire 23 will nowpress against the wound ends and urge them to wedged relation with thewall 22 of the radial slot S. If desired, the sleeve may be rotatedsufficiently to wind enough of the strip ends thereabout so that thewound ends are pressed into wedged relation with both walls 21,22 of theradial slot, but the amount of rotation shown in FIG. 3 is sufficientfor most purposes. As the strip ends are wound about the sleeve, thestrip intermediate the ends is drawn snugly against the periphery of therim 10, or against the periphery of the rubber ring, if used, and thedegree of rotation required of the sleeve 18 will be governed by theamount needed to snugly tighten the strip about the rim periphery.

The rotator member 26 may then be removed'by longitudinally withdrawingthe rod portion 27 from the sleeve, so that the final assembly is thatshown in FIG. 3. Since the wheel has a split rim and has the sleeve 18offset from the wheel center, it is preferable to balance the wheel andthe parts indicated by reference numeral 32 represent lead weights heldin cross bores in the rim 10.

I claim:

1. A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, comprising:

a web having an annular rim, the web having means for attaching thewheel to a revolvable shaft,

said rim having a radial slot tapering from a smaller opening at theperiphery of said rim to a larger opening interiorly thereof,

a sleeve disposed crosswise of said rim and rotatably fitting withinsaid slot, said sleeve having an outside diameter which is larger thanthe smaller opening of said slot, and said sleeve having a longitudinalsplit,

resilient means urging said sleeve in a direction toward the smalleropening of said tapered slot to wedge the sleeve between the oppostelydisposed walls defining said slot,

a flexible strip having an abrading or polishing surface and adapted tobe disposed tightly about the periphery of said rim, said stripintermediate its ends being positioned against said rim periphery andthe two end portions of said strip extending through said tapered slotand through said sleeve split and disposed within said sleeve,

rotation of said sleeve causing said end portions to wind thereabout andthereby tighten said strip about the periphery of said rim, the woundend portions engaging at least one of said oppositely disposed slotwalls and being held wedged thereagainst by the urging action of saidresilient means, and a rotator member for rotating said sleeve, saidrotator member comprising a rod fitting within said sleeve and having alongitudinal slot adapted to be aligned with the sleeve split and intowhich fit the end portions of said strip, said rod being manuallyrotatable and being removable from said sleeve by pulling it axially outof said sleeve.

2. The method of securing a flexible abrasive or pol-- ishing striptightly about the peripheral of the rim of a wheel, comprising:

disposing said strip flatwise against the periphery of said rim with theoperating side outward,

inserting the two ends of the strip through a radial slot which tapersfrom a smaller end at the rim periphery to a larger end interiorlythereof, and also inserting said strip ends through a longitudinal splitin a cylindrical sleeve which is rotatably supported between the twoinclined walls of said rim slot and further inserting said strip endsinto a longitudinal slot in an actuator rod disposed within said sleevewhen the rod slot and sleeve split are aligned,

pressing said sleeve into wedged relation with said rim slot walls,

rotating said rod to pinch the strip ends between margins of the rodslot and the sleeve split and thereby in turn rotating said sleeve andwithdrawing the rod from the sleeve when the wound strip ends arepressed into frictional engagement with at least one of the walls of therim slot.

1. A wheel for abrading and polishing operations, comprising: a webhaving an annular rim, the web having means for attaching the wheel to arevolvable shaft, said rim having a radial slot tapering from a smalleropening at the periphery of said rim to a larger opening interiorlythereof, a sleeve disposed crosswise of said rim and rotatably fittingwithin said slot, said sleeve having an outside diameter which is largerthan the smaller opening of said slot, and said sleeve having alongitudinal split, resilient means urging said sleeve in a directiontoward the smaller opening of said tapered slot to wedge the sleevebetween the oppostely disposed walls defining said slot, a flexiblestrip having an abrading or polishing surface and adapted to be disposedtightly about the periphery of said rim, said strip intermediate itsends being positioned against said rim periphery and the two endportions of said strip extending through said tapered slot and throughsaid sleeve split and disposed within said sleeve, rotation of saidsleeve causing said end portions to wind thereabout and thereby tightensaid strip about the periphery of said rim, the wound end portionsengaging at least one of said oppositely disposed slot walls and beingheld wedged thereagainst by the urging action of said resilient means,and a rotator member for rotating said sleeve, said rotator membercomprising a rod fitting within said sleeve and having a longitudinalslot adapted to be aligned with the sleeve split and into which fit theend portions of said strip, said rod being manually rotatable and beingremovable from said sleeve by pulling it axially out of said sleeve. 2.The method of securing a flexible abrasive or polishing strip tightlyabout the peripheral of the rim of a wheel, comprising: disposing saidstrip flatwise against the periphery of said rim with the operating sideoutward, inserting the two ends of the strip through a radial slot whichtapers from a smaller end at the rim periphery to a larger endinteriorly thereof, and also inserting said strip ends through alongitudinal split in a cylindrical sleeve which is rotatably supportedbetween the two inclined walls of said rim slot and further insertingsaid strip ends into a longitudinal slot in an actuator rod disposedwithin said sleeve when the rod slot and sleeve split are aligned,pressing said sleeve into wedged relation with said rim slot walls,rotating said rod to pinch the strip ends between margins of the rodslot and the sleeve split and thereby in turn rotating said sleeve andwithdrawing the rod from the sleeve when the wound strip ends arepressed into frictional engagement with at least one of the walls of therim slot.